On the night of May 28, 2022, many fans were denied entry to the 80,000-seat stadium. French security forces, particularly the CRS riot police, deliberately blocked access routes and directed fans toward barriers.

Darmanin described the events as the “biggest failure” of his career in an interview with the magazine “Le Journal du Dimanche.”

He said about that night:“The police did what they could, and we saw in CCTV footage that the red crowd—Liverpool fans—had gathered behind the barriers while CRS officers prevented them from entering.”

Initially, Darmanin believed Liverpool fans were responsible for the disorder, but subsequent investigations by UEFA and French authorities disproved this claim.

He added:“What I didn’t know that night was that most of the problems came not from English fans but from French troublemakers who were stealing from supporters.”

The French justice minister admitted that the security setup was ill-suited for the situation:“We had mobile police with heavy shields and large boots; this equipment was not suitable for running and chasing such individuals.”

Darmanin concluded by acknowledging France’s mistakes and apologized:“I am guilty because I believed in stereotypes. Finding a scapegoat was easy, and I wrongly pointed the finger at Liverpool fans. That night was the biggest mistake of my career. I apologize to all Liverpool fans.”